Bluebells galore at Bull Run
1. As the cherry blossoms pass their peak, bluebells are starting to bloom! You can see them in a few places around the area, the most popular being Riverbend Park and Bull Run Regional Park, which has a dedicated Bluebell Trail that we hiked this past weekend. While Bull Run has larger patches of the pretty periwinkle flowers and an easy 1.5-mile trail that’s great for little legs, I personally prefer the longer out and back hike at Riverbend that stretches along the Potomac to Great Falls, where you can take in spectacular views of the Mather Gorge. Admission to Bull Run is $8/car, free at Riverbend. Even more, Riverbend will be celebrating the bloom at its annual Bluebells at the Bend Festival this Saturday, April 8 — tickets are $10/online ($12/day of) and can be reserved here.
2. If it’s tulips you want to see, Burnside Farms’ annual Festival of Spring begins today, and some tickets are still available for this week! (They are sold out for the weekend, though a limited number of day-of tickets will be sold online each day starting at 12am.) More than 150 varieties of tulips and 30 varieties of daffodils dazzle on 15 acres of fields, and you can pick five stems of your own to bring the beauty home. Admission also includes play opportunities — bouncy fun, cornhole games, hop on-hop off wagon rides, antique tractors and a real life size caboose, authentic dutch wooden shoes to “klomp” around in, and more. You can BYO food for lunch or a snack al fresco in the picnic area, too. Burnside Farms is located in Nokesville, VA, about a one-hour drive from DC. Admission is $19-23 for weekdays, $27-31 weekends — purchase in advance.
My honest review: If you have never been, this is a fun, unique outing that all ages can enjoy, and the vast fields of flowers are quite a sight. We enjoyed it few times when the kids were younger. However, it’s become very popular and expensive over the years, and I don’t consider it a must-do every year like, say, Ren Fest. For a spring splurge and with older kids, something like this is my preference. But with little kids, who get free admission under age 6 to Burnside, seeing the tulips is a great option for an outing!
3. If you’re celebrating Passover tomorrow evening and need some help with your Seder, Eater has a round-up of places around DC where you can find Passover meals.
4. Just bought a great dress from this company for our upcoming Spring Break trip — they have so many pretty options! (Btw, that is a referral link that gets you 15% off your first order.)
5. 10 Happy Things for April 🤗
Bonus: If your kids are off from school this week (or will be in the next few), and you’re looking for more ideas for things to do, be sure to check the KFDC guide for Where to Go & What to Do During Spring Break 2023!
